State of Delaware Office of the Governor Fiscal Year 2017 Financial Overview January 28, 2016
Budgeting Principles • Invest in Priorities: – Job Growth. – Stronger Schools. – Quality of Life. • Keep Core Commitments: – K-12 and Higher Education. – Healthcare. – Public Safety. • Ensure Fiscal Responsibility: – Creating a balanced budget despite fiscal challenges. – Maintaining AAA-bond rating. – Fully funding Rainy Day Fund. – Only appropriating 98 percent of revenue. – Adhering to three-part debt limit. 2
Moving Delaware Forward Investing in Priorities and Keeping Core Commitments Creating Jobs and Building a Stronger Economy • Since the depths of the recession, Delaware’s job growth rate has outpaced neighboring states, adding more than 50,000 jobs. – Over the past year, Delaware has seen its labor force participation increase at the third fastest rate among all 50 states. • Set an all-time high jobs record in December with 453,500 jobs reported. • 2014 and 2015 were the two best consecutive years for job growth in the state’s history. • An additional 13,700 Delawareans are employed today compared to this time last year. • Unemployment rate decreased from 5.2 percent to 5.0 percent from December 2014- December 2015. – For the first time since the recession, the Department of Labor reported that the number of available jobs in their database exceeded the number of people looking for work. • Provided more opportunities for Delawareans to train for high demand jobs: – TechHire initiative creates a pipeline for coding jobs, first round of graduates more than doubled their salaries. – Partnered with Delaware Technical Community College to train at - risk youth for entry-level nursing jobs. All graduates were placed in Delaware hospitals and nursing homes. • Wilmington was recently named the fifth best city in which to found a startup business. • Created a central online repository to help entrepreneurs and small businesses in Delaware identify state and local licensing requirements. 3
Moving Delaware Forward Investing in Priorities and Keeping Core Commitments Creating a World-Class Education System • In 2011, 5 percent of high-needs children were enrolled in a high quality early learning and development program. Today, more than 59 percent are enrolled. • Delaware third grade students received some of the nation’s best test scores in math and reading in 2015. • Delaware students are taking and passing 1,000 more AP exams than four years ago. • In 2016, over 5,000 students in 29 schools will participate in career pathways including biomedical science, computer science and manufacturing. • By the end of this school year, 2,700 high school students will have taken classes that count toward college credit, more than triple the number taking these courses two years ago. – 28 high schools across the State are offering more than 170 dual-enrollment courses . • In previous years, between 82 and 86 percent of college-ready students applied to college. For the past two years, 100 percent applied to college and were on track to enroll. • Ranked first in the nation for improvement in high school graduation rates. – Rates increased from 78 percent in 2011 to 84 percent in 2014. • More than 2,300 students are participating in world language immersion programs in Mandarin and Spanish, preparing them with the language skills to compete in an ever- changing global economy. 4
Moving Delaware Forward Investing in Priorities and Keeping Core Commitments Preserving and Improving Quality of Life • Expanded biking and walking trails in the State by more than 35 miles, with more than 50 miles in total expected to be in place by 2017. • Preserved thousands of acres of land across Delaware, including: – More than 6,515 acres of key shore, watershed and forest lands to protect habitat, enhance wildlife-viewing and create public trails using Open Space funds and other federal and private resources; and – 304 farms totaling 28,012 acres under the Delaware Farmland Preservation Program, with a total of 116,000 acres permanently preserved. 5
Moving Delaware Forward Investing in Priorities and Keeping Core Commitments Investing in Libraries • Provided more funding for improvements and upgrades to public libraries than any other administration. • Invested in library technologies, bringing a statewide library catalog, high-speed broadband and wireless access to every library in the State and offering e- collections (e-books, e-audiobooks, video streaming). • Delaware libraries provided career and technology training services and valuable information resources to over 36,000 Delawareans since 2011. Three library locations serve as “Inspiration Spaces” and program coordinators travel statewide to provide additional services. 6
Moving Delaware Forward Investing in Priorities and Keeping Core Commitments Preserving and Improving Quality of Life • Delaware State Parks ranked first in the nation in 2015 by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration. • Delaware’s farmers’ markets surpassed $3 million in sales in 2015, a nine -fold increase since the Department of Agriculture began tracking sales in 2007. – The Cool Spring Farmers’ Market in Wilmington, established with support from the Department of Agriculture, has seen sales increase from $32,000 in 2011 to $96,000 in 2014, two-thirds of which was in fresh produce. • Throughout New Castle County and the City of Wilmington, there are now more than 70 community gardens and urban farms, up from almost none eight years ago. – These range from small shared neighborhood plots to larger ventures such as the 12th and Brandywine Urban Farm or the Rodney Reservoir garden. • Increased use of technology for targeted marketing and promotion of the arts, including the statewide “DelawareScene.com” arts and culture calendar and the “What’s On” mobile app. – The number of visitors to DelawareScene.com grew nearly 28 percent since the initial launch in 2008. • Investment in the arts increased 41 percent since 2009, benefitting more than one million people and supporting nearly 100 local arts organizations and community-based arts programs. • Provided more than $11.1 million in funding from FY 2011-FY 2016 for restoration of historic sites throughout the State, including Buena Vista Conference Center, John Dickinson Plantation and Delaware Breakwater Lighthouse. 7
Moving Delaware Forward Investing in Priorities and Keeping Core Commitments Preserving and Improving Quality of Life Redevelopment of strategic sites, including the former NVF site and Fort DuPont. NVF Site • Includes about 90 acres at Route 82 and Yorklyn Road in New Castle County • Development plans underway include: – Creation of a new recreational trail system connecting new commercial sites with historic and natural areas; – Revitalizing the abandoned mill site with a mix of restored and new structures; and – Commercial and residential projects, including shopping and restaurant development. 8
Moving Delaware Forward Investing in Priorities and Keeping Core Commitments Fort DuPont in Delaware City • Redevelopment and Preservation Corporation created July 23, 2014, through House Bill 310. • Development plans underway include: – Restoration of 14 buildings; – Site design and engineering; – Infrastructure improvements; and – Design of a new marina. 9
Moving Delaware Forward Investing in Priorities and Keeping Core Commitments Preserving and Improving Quality of Life • Invested $15.5 million to promote rehabilitation and construction in Downtown Development Districts in Seaford, Dover and Wilmington. • In Seaford, construction has begun on the Residences at Riverplace, which will include two new four story apartment buildings on the Nanticoke River. The city fishing pier will also be reconstructed as part of the project. 10
Moving Delaware Forward Investing in Priorities and Keeping Core Commitments Supporting Vulnerable Citizens and Ensuring the Health of Delawareans • Delaware is ranked first in the nation in transitioning youth receiving disability benefits to employment. • Redesigned the Substance Use Disorder Services system and expanded services. – FY 2015 and FY 2016 funding provided 60 sober living residential beds, 16 young adult residential opiate treatment beds, 16 residential treatment beds and withdrawal management services. – The new downstate facility for withdrawal management services opened in Harrington on November 9, 2015. The New Castle County withdrawal management program was moved to the new system design effective January 1, 2016. – The young adult residential opiate treatment program is tentatively scheduled to open in early February and will be located in Ellendale. • Increased by ten-fold the number of mental health professionals in Delaware middle schools from three to 30. • Supported more than 700 individuals and families in finding and maintaining housing through the State Rental Assistance Program. • Supported by a first-of-its-kind federal innovation grant, Delaware has embarked on an ambitious effort to improve patient care, support the health of all Delawareans and reduce the costs of care. 11
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